Illustrative object forming bookcover



y 1969 M. M. CAMERON ILLUSTRA'I'IVH OBJECT FORMING UOOKCOVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug.

INVENJUK. MARGARET M. CAMERON TORNEYS July 22, 1969 E N 3,456,380

ILLUSTRATIVE OBJECT FORMlNG BOOKUOVER Filed Aug. 8, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet United States Patent 3,456,380 ILLUSTRATIVE OBJECT FORMING BOOKCOVER Margaret M. Cameron, 1428 Jackson St., Oakland, Calif. 95642 Filed Aug. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 570,977 Int. Cl. A6311 3/00 US. Cl. 46-12 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A book is described having a bookcover arrangement by which a play building may be erected. In its basic aspects, the book includes cover leaves which enclose a plurality of pages and which are foldably secured together along one longitudinal edge by a binding. Each of the cover leaves has an intermediate longitudinal fold line which is generally parallel to the binding dividing the leaves into a roof portion and a side wall portion. An end wall portion is secured to each of the side wall portions by a transverse fold line which permits the respective end wall portions to be folded between an inward position against the interior surface of its associated cover leaf and an outward position angularly related to its associated cover leaf. Cooperating fastening means are carried by the end wall portions adjacent their free end edges and by the side wall portions adjacent their free end edges. These cooperating fastening means are operable to secure the end wall portions to the side wall portions to make from the cover leaves a play building having four walls and a roof.

This invention relates to books in general, and is more particularly directed to a book cover arrangement which is adapted to the ready formation of a cottage, barn, or similar object which is illustrative of the story printed in the book.

With childrens storybooks in particular, the story is considerably more meaningful to the child if some means are provided to illustrate the story. This of course is frequently accomplished by the provision of illustrations accompanying the text of the story printed on the pages of the book. The story may be even more vividly impressed on the childs mind by providing an illustrative object about which the story centers such that the child may later reenact the story with the aid of the object. For example, the story may be concerned with a little cottage. After hearing the story, the child may use a model of the cottage to reenact the story by opening and closing the cottage door and pretending that the various story characters enter and leave the cottage, etc. It is of course advantageous that such a model or object be provided as an integral part of the book.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a book cover which is arranged to be readily formed into a cottage, barn, or similar object which is illustrative of the story set forth in the book.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an object forming-book cover of the class described which does not require auxiliary fastening means or the like in the formation of the object.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a book cover of the class described which may be repeatedly erected to form the object and collapsed into normal book cover form.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a book cover of the character outlined hereinbefore which may be employed with'a variety of different types of bindings.

A further object of the invention is the provision of ice an object forming book cover which may be fabricated equally as well from plastic as cardboard.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the book cover in normal collapsed form.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the cover in erected condition to form a cottage.

FIGURE 3 is an interior perspective view of the cover.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the cover in partially erected form, illustrating particularly the means by which the side and end wall portions of the cover are secured together.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary interior perspective view of the wall securing means of the cover.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the wall securing means.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of the cover erected to form a barn.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary interior perspective view of the cover, illustrating a modified form of wall securing means.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken at line 9-9 of FIGURE 7, illustrating a means for securing end wall portions to roof portions of the cover.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, an object forming book cover arrangement in accordance with the present invention will be seen to include a pair of substantially rectangular cover leaves 11, 11 foldably secured along one longitudinal edge by means of a binding 12. In a conventional manner, the binding also serves to foldably secure pages 13 (see FIGURE 3) within the leaves .11 to form a book. Although the binding 12 is illustrated as being of the spiral variety, it is to be noted that other types of bindings may as well be employed. In addition, it should be noted that the leaves 11 may be fabricated of cardboard, plastic, or other semi-rigid materials, however the embodiment of FIGURES 1-6 is particularly adapted to fabrication from cardboard.

In accordance with a particularly salient aspect of the invention, each leaf 11 is provided with an intermediate longitudinal weakened fold line 14 dividing the leaf into a roof portion 16 and side wall portion 17. Such fold line may be provided by, for example, scoring a single leaf defining sheet or by constructing the leaf of two sheets taped together. One leaf 11 isfurther provided with end wall portions 18 foldably secured to the opposite ends of the side wall portion 17 along transverse weakened fold lines 19, provided in any of the manners previously discussed, which extend to the fold line 14. In this regard, each end wall portion 18 is provided with oppositely inclined gable defining edges 21 extending upwardly from fold lines 19 to an apex 22. The free end of each portion 1 8 is provided with a tongue 23 projecting outwardly therefrom and which is foldable at right angles to the plane of the end wall portion. The other leaf 11' is provided with tongue receiving pockets 24 on the inner surface adjacent the free end edges of the side wall portion 17'. As best shown in FIGURE 6, each pocket 24 is preferably provided as a tab 26 projecting longitudinally outwardly from the side wall portion and separated there- .from by a transverse weakened fold line 27 extending to longitudinal fold line 14'. A crescent shaped cut out 28 extends into the tab from the fold line 27 with theopposite ends of the cut out being inwardly spaced from 3 the'longitudinal edge of wall portion 17' and fold line 14'. Thus, when the tab is folded inwardly along the fold line 27, as shown in FIGURE 5, the cut out defines a slot along the fold line which facilitates insertion of the tongue into the pocket.

In the particular embodiment being presently described, one of the end wall portions 18 is provided with a rectangular tab 29 projecting upwardly at the midpoint of its upper edge to define the upper end of a chimney. The roof portions 16, 1 6 of the respective leaves 11, 11' are provided with a slot 31 extending across the fold line of the binding 12 of receiving the tab 29.

In the normal condition of the cover arrangement, the end wall portions 18 are folded inwardly along fold lines 19 against the interior surface of leaf 11, and the leafs 11, 11' are foldable at binding 12 in the manner of a conventional book cover. When it is desired to erect the cover to form a model of a cottage, the leaves -11, 11' are folded at the binding to form an acute angle therebetween. The side wall portions 17, 17' are folded downwardly from the fold lines 14 and the end wall portions 18 are folded right angularly inward from fold lines 19. The tab 29 is inserted through the slot 31, and the tongues 23 are folded right angularly inward. The tongues are engaged in the pockets 24 to thereby secure the end walls 18 to the side wall portion 17 and secure the overall structure together in the cottage configuration depicted in FIGURE 2. The roof portions 16 at this time rest upon the gable edges 21 of the end wall portions 18.

It will be appreciated that the book cover configuration just described may be variously modified to form illustrative objects other than a cottage, and moreover, may deviate from the specified structural details. In particular, as will soon be evident, various modified forms of fastening means may be employed to secure the end wall portions of one leaf to the side wall portion of the other leaf. In this latter regard it is only necessary that the end wall portions and side wall portion be provided with cooperating fastening means.

Referring now to FIGURES 7-9, a modified form of cover arrangement is illustrated which is adapted to be erected into a barn configuration. The cover arrangement is generally similar to that previously described and includes leaves 32, 32', each having longitudinal fold lines 33 dividing the leaf into a roof portion 34 and side wall portion 36. One side wall portion includes end wall portions 37 separated therefrom by transverse fold lines 38. However, in the present instance, each roof portion 34 includes a substantially central longitudinal fold line 39, and each end wall portion 37 has doubly inclined gable edges 41, 42 so as to define a barn configuration. In addition, the arrangement is particularly adapted to fabrication from plastic. 'In this regard, the sections of each roof portion on opposite sides of the fold line 39 are preferably provided along their end edges With closely spaced protuberances 43 defining grooves 44 therebetween for grippingly receiving the gable edges 41, 42 of the end wall portions 37. Such securance between the roof portions and end walls prevents the latter from being forced outward by the weight of the overall book on the binding. A modified form of fastening means particularly suited to plastic construction are employed to secure the end wall portions 37 to the side wall portion 36' of the opposite leaf. More particularly, the side wall portion 36' is provided with strips 46 of tufted hooked nylon pile adhesive material along the opposite end edges thereof, and the free end of each end wall portion 37 is provided with a tab 47 of similar material. The material is such that when the tab 47 is pressed against the strip 46, they are adhesively secured together. The strips 46 and tabs 47 may, for example, be of Velcro tape No. 80, available from Velcro Corp., New York, NY. Thus, the end walls may be secured to the side wall to retain the cover arrangement in a barn configuration.

What is claimed is:

1. A book comprising a plurality of pages, first and second substantially rectangular cover leaves, said pages being located between said cover leaves and said pages and said cover leaves being foldably secured together along one longitudinal edge by a binding, said leaves each having an intermediate longitudinal fold line dividing same into a roof portion and a side wall portion, two end wall portions each one of which is secured to one of said side wall portions of said first and second leaves by transverse fold lines extending to the longitudinal fold line of the cover leaf to which it is secured, each of said end wall portions being foldable between an inward position against the interior surface of its associated cover leaf and an outward position angularly related to its associated cover leaf for securance of its free end edge to the other of said cover leaves, and cooperating fastening means carried by said end wall portions adjacent the free end edges thereof and by said side wall portions adjacent the free end edges thereof, said fastening means being operable to secure said end wall portions to said side 'wall portions to thereby erect from said book a simulated building having four walls and a roof.

2. A book according to claim 1, further defined by said fastening means comprising tongues respectively projecting longitudinally outward from the free ends of said end wall portions and being foldable at right angles thereto, and pockets carried by said side wall portions adjacent the free end edges thereof for receiving said tongues.

3. A book according to claim 2, wherein each of said pockets comprises a tab projecting longitudinally outward from each free end edge of said side wall portions and separated therefrom by a transverse fold line, said tab having a crescent shaped cut out extending thereinto from said fold line.

4. A book according to claim 1, further defined by said fastening means comprising foldable tabs of tufted hooked nylon pile adhesive material projecting longitudinally outward from the free ends of said end wall portions, and strips of tufted hooked nylon pile adhesive material secured adjacent the free end edges of said side wall portions.

5. A book according to claim 1, further defined by said roof portions having closely spaced protuberances defining grooves along the end edges thereof for grippingly receiving the upper edges of said end wall portions.

6. A book according to claim 1, further defined by said end Wall portions having upwardly inclined gable defining upper edges for engaging said roof portions.

7. A book according to claim 1, further defined by each roof portion having a substantially central longitudinal fold line, and each end wall portion having doubly inclined gable defining upper edges for engaging said roof portions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3 63,143 5/ 1887 Huston 22935 1,130,818 3/1915 Herman 46-21 X 1,580,285 4/ 1926 Carlson 4621 1,867,374 7/1932 Myers 46-21 1,999,796 4/ 1935 Zinser 2298 X 2,032,531 3/1936 Eaton. 2,183,443 12/ 1939 Bracker 461Z 3,161,343 12/ 1964 Paige 22935 FOREIGN PATENTS 15,696 1908 Great Britain. 321,369 11/ 1929 Great Britain.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 281-15 

